News

Apps: Amazon Cloud Player 2.0, Haze, Spotify 0.6 + Yelp 6.5

Amazon has debuted version 2.0 of Amazon Cloud Player (free), featuring an updated design with iPad and iPad mini support. The new interface includes a setting that allows users to manage the size of their offline cache of stored music, a buffer that lets Cloud Player function as an alternative to Apple’s Music app, getting around in-app purchasing by offering Safari-based track buying options.

Robocat’s Haze ($1) is a new weather app with a clean, simple interface and nice animations. Features include motion tilt/slide navigation and a gyroscope-driven wind compass. In addition to providing the standard high and low temperatures in celsius or fahrenheit, windchill, windspeed, wind direction, sunshine hours, UV info, cloud coverage, sunrise and sunset times are included, among other data. Multiple themes allow users to personalize the app.

Spotify Ltd.‘s Spotify (free) has updated to version 0.6, complete with a new interface. Sidebar navigation is a major new feature in the updated app, as is a Now Playing bar — you tap to reveal more information about a current track, or swipe to change it. Tapping the cover art in extended review enables use of AirPlay. A new track menu is also included in the update.

Another app getting a major recent update is Yelp (free), now at version 6.5. The iPad business page has been streamlined, and an “explore the menu” button has been added where available. Current closing and opening status listings have been added for businesses, helping you know quickly whether a place could seat you now, and a new social check-in feature lets you see if friends have “checked in” at local businesses. A number of bug fixes and enhancements are also part of the update, including speed improvements for the iPhone 5 app.